This invention pertains to a vertical-row-type cane-berry harvester, and in particular, to such a harvester having beaters which are adjustable and in position relative to such a row.
Mechanical harvesters have been used for a number of years for harvesting cane-berry-type row crops and other similar types of crops, such as raspberries, blackberries and grapes, which may be trained into rows and trellised for harvesting. Mechanical harvesting reduces the high labor cost typically involved in such harvesting and also increases the rate of harvesting.
Rows of such crops within any given field tend to vary in the vitality of growth of the vines as well as their conformance with the trellising to which they are trained. As a result, there is typically significant variation in the thickness of the rows. Conventionally, mechanical harvesters have beaters disposed for placement on each side of a row with such beaters traveling within known arcs relative to the row. Depending on the particular crop being harvested, the beaters are set to contact the vines a predetermined amount, depending on the type of fruit and expected width of the vines. In one conventional harvester, a drive motor moves connecting rods in a reciprocating motion for movement of a lever arm attached to the beaters for driving the latter in the previously mentioned arcs. A difference in separation between opposing beaters on opposite sides of a row are provided by adjusting the lengths of the connecting rods. This adjustment is typically made by varying the position of such a rod in an adjoining sleeve.
This type of harvester cannot be operating while adjusting the distance between beater arcs. Since there may be numerous variations in the width of a row in any given field, as has been mentioned, it is unusual for a former to take the time to make the row-width-accommodating adjustment required in order to provide most effective harvesting for the different widths of rows. He therefore accepts reduced harvest quantities in favor of expediting the harvesting process by not taking time to make the otherwise appropriate adjustments.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to overcome the noted deficiencies in the known prior art.
In particular, it is an object to provide such a harvester which can easily be adjusted for accommodating rows of different widths.
It is a further objective to provide such a harvester which is dynamically adjustable, that is, one which is adjustable while the harvester is in the process of harvesting.
In the preferred emodiment of the present invention, a harvester is provided having a frame and a driver motor mounted for selectable position adjustment on the frame. This motor is drivingly connected to beaters disposed adjacent what may be termed a vine-receiving zone. A crank driving a rod in a screw coupling is attached to the frame and the motor for selectively adjusting the position of the motor relative to the frame. This correspondingly adjusts the position of the beater arcs within the vine-receiving zone. A position rod attached to the motor mount is disposed adjacent a linear scale positioned on the frame for visually indicating the relative position of the motor to the frame, and thereby, the distance between opposing beater arcs within the vine-receiving zone.
It can be seen that by manipulation of the crank the motor may be shifted in position on the frame during harvesting. Thus, as a farmer is harvesting a row, he can, as a result of observing a variation in the thickness of the particular row which he is harvesting, shift the position of the motor relative to the frame, and thereby shift the distance between the beater arcs to compensate for the changed row width. With such an apparatus, a farmer can apply a preferred beater action to each row as it is being harvested, thereby maximizing his harvest without reducing the rate of travel along a row.
These and additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.